Best YA Romance Books of 2016

The Best YA Books of 2016

YA books are pretty much my favorite things in the world. I get swept up in the worlds they build, and I follow YA authors and any YA book news so that I don't miss a single thing. That being said, I have it on pretty good authority that these 2016 YA books are absolute must reads. From epic high-fantasy novels to moving coming-of-age stories and sexy romances you'll fall completely in love with, to feminist novels that cover tough subjects we should all be talking about, these books will capture you the moment you begin and hold your attention until the very last page.

1A Study in Charlotte

Sherlock Holmes fans will love Brittany Cavallaro's fast-paced mystery A Study in Charlotte, which tells the gender-swapped story of brilliant teen Charlotte Holmes and her friend and fellow classmate Jamie Watson as they work to prove their own innocence after being framed for murder. Charlotte is completely hilarious (and definitely channels the quirkier aspects of Holmes), while Jamie is totally endearing.

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2When We Collided

The Start of Me and You's Emery Lord is back with another perfect Summer read. When We Collided follows the story of a young boy named Jonah Daniels who is struggling to keep his family together after his father passes away. Then enters Vivi Alexander, an outgoing girl who loves life and seeks adventure — but begins taking it to the extreme. Their lives collide one Summer, and their love is put to the test as the two try to stay together as they both are falling apart.

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3Lady Midnight

If you haven't entered the world of Shadowhunters yet, you are missing out on demon fighting, heart-wrenching romance, gorgeous storytelling, and everything urban-fantasy-lovers want wrapped up together. The Dark Artifices is a follow-up series to The Mortal Instruments, and Lady Midnight, the first book in Cassandra Clare's newest trilogy, will not disappoint. I'm already a diehard fan of all things Shadow World-related, but even I wasn't prepared for the pull of the forbidden love story and the connection readers will feel with characters both new and old in the novel.

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4Stars Above

Fans of Marissa Meyer and the Lunar Chronicles will love Stars Above, a collection of stories and secrets from the Lunar universe. And can I just say, if we're judging books by their covers . . . this one takes the cake.

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5Glass Sword

Mare Barrow may have narrowly escaped the betrayal and wrath of her former friend Prince Maven, but as she begins to build her own army of Reds with Silver abilities, she is at risk of becoming just as bad as the evil she is hell-bent on fighting. Glass Sword, Victoria Aveyard's electrifying (pun very much intended) follow-up to Red Queen, will have fans turning pages as fast as lightning (I did it again) to see just how far Mare will go to get what she wants.

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6Asking For It

Louise O'Neill addresses the very prominent issues of rape and rape culture in her novel Asking For It, which follows the events in a popular teenage girl's life after a night at a party goes horribly wrong. The novel — which we want to note may be a trigger for sexual assault survivors — delves into the effects of rape, the stigma around it, and the public shaming that often goes along with it. It covers the topic in a moving and haunting way that inspires reflection and dialogue. "They are all innocent until proven guilty. Not me, I am a liar until I am proven honest" is just one of the many quotes from the book that will stick with you.

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7Morning Star

If you haven't delved into Pierce Brown's Red Rising science-fiction series, now's the time to a) start the series and b) plow through all three books in the trilogy. Morning Star is the final novel in the dystopian story that takes place on Mars, and it's just what fans were waiting for.

8Passenger

A boy and girl travel together across countries and even centuries in search of an object of extreme value in Alexandra Bracken's Passenger. "Passenger grabs you by the heart from its opening notes and doesn't let go until its knockout, blockbuster finale," said Sarah J. Maas, New York Times bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series.

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9Salt to the Sea

It's Winter in 1945, and the paths of a group of teenage refugees meet as they attempt to get passage on board the Wilhelm Gustloff. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys is a historical fiction about what is considered to be one of the greatest maritime tragedies of all time; the German ship was sunk by Soviet fire, and more than 9,000 people — about 5,000 of them children — were lost in the real-life disaster. The novel brings to light a lesser-known casualty of World War II, and though it is haunting, it has a message of hope and courage that will move readers.

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10The Rose and the Dagger

It all started with a single story, and that story saved Shazi's life the night her husband and king was set to have her murdered. Renée Ahdieh's The Wrath and the Dawn, inspired by One Thousand and One Nights, completely captivated me from page one — a brave girl set on vengeance for her dead friend, a seemingly ruthless boy-king with dark secrets that plague him, and an unexpected love story that arises from it all.

The Rose and the Dagger picks up where the first novel left off — the curse a plague on Shahrzad and Khalid's relationship and on their kingdom, an impending war, and Shazi parted from Khalid, torn between her love for her husband and her loyalty to her family and childhood friends. There's magic, there's romance, there's danger — all against the sand, sun, and desert backdrop so vividly described by Ahdieh that you are transported there.

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11The Raven King

Maggie Stiefvater's bestselling Raven Cycle series comes to an epic close with The Raven King, the fourth and final installment of the urban fantasy books that began with The Raven Boys and follows the story of Blue Sargent, the daughter of psychics who has been told since birth that she will be the cause of her true love's death.

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12The Unexpected Everything

Morgan Matson, bestselling author of Since You've Been Gone, returns with a perfect Summer read. The Unexpected Everything is about a high-achieving girl who has her whole Summer (and future) planned until changes with her family, friends, and love life will push her into letting go a little — if she can.

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13A Court of Mist and Fury

Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Mist and Fury is hands down the sexiest YA novel I've ever read, and I loved it. The sequel to A Court of Thorns and Roses finds Feyre with new powers and a new perspective on everything that has happened to her, but she still has her own human heart and a conscience that won't let her forget all that she has done. The book is full of magic, adventure, Fae politics, impending war, betrayal, and steamy romance that might make you blush and will definitely have you desperate for more!

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14The Square Root of Summer

As the one-year anniversary of her grandfather's death approaches, Gottie H. Oppenheimer begins to face the reality of the last year of grief, guilt, and isolation. When her brother, her childhood best friend Thomas, and the boy she loved all return home for the Summer, she begins to lose her sense of time as the past, present, and future all collide. Harriet Reuter Hapgood's The Square Root of Summer is an emotional roller coaster that explores the many layers of loss and love.

15The Crown

Fans of the Selection series will be more than ready to finally gobble up The Crown, Kiera Cass's fifth and final installment in the romantic dystopian series that fuses The Bachelor and The Hunger Games as princesses and princes must choose their partners by way of an elaborate contest.

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16Highly Illogical Behavior

John Corey Whaley's Highly Illogical Behavior is a heartwarming, funny, and poignant coming-of-age and coming-out story about an ambitious girl and her boyfriend befriending a 16-year-old agoraphobic boy who hasn't left his house in three years.

18The Crown's Game

The much-anticipated The Crown's Game is a historical fantasy set in Imperial Russia. The novel is about a boy and girl in Russia — the only two who have the powers of "enchanters" — who must vie for their place at the side of the Tsar. The duel for this honor ends in death for one participant and a position as the Tsar's advisor for the other, but as the two begin to play the game and become closer, they realize defeating each other may not be as easy as they once thought.

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19A Torch Against the Night

Sabaa Tahir's follow-up to one of my top 2015 favorites An Ember in the Ashes looks like yet another epic novel from the author. A Torch Against the Night picks up where Ember left off as former servant/spy Laia and former soldier Elias flee north to escape the enemies they left behind and save Laia's brother from a terrible prison.

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20Empire of Storms

OK, I may be biased considering the Throne of Glass series is one of my all-time favorites ever, but if you are a high-fantasy-lover who hasn't picked up these books, then seriously stop what you're doing and go. Right now.

For those who are already fans, An Empire of Storms is book five in the series and picks up where Queen of Shadows left off. Magic has been released, but Erilea is tearing apart. Aelin must do what she has to — even if it means allying herself with enemies — to keep the dark forces at bay. From assassin to queen, Aelin Galathynius is by far one of the most dynamic forces of nature I've ever had the pleasure of reading about, and her character — along with a host of other remarkable characters and an incredible fantasy world Sarah J. Maas has built — will be what draws you in to this epic story and keeps hold of you until the very last page.

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21Crooked Kingdom

The adventures of Leigh Bardugo's grand Grisha world continue in Crooked Kingdom, the sequel to the New York Times bestseller Six of Crows. In the follow-up novel, Kaz Brekker and his talented crew are again fighting for their lives after pulling off a deadly heist.

22The Midnight Star

In the dramatic final installment of bestselling author Marie Lu's The Young Elites trilogy, titular character Adelina Amouteru reigns as the White Wolf, but she faces a danger that may threaten what she has built. The Midnight Star is full of action, romance, and twists and turns — with an epic grand finale.

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23The Sun Is Also a Star

Yes, The Sun Is Also a Star is a love story — but not your average one. Acclaimed author of Everything, Everything Nicola Yoon's second novel is a unique look at lovable, flawed people who stumble across each other and learn together what the universe has in store for them.

Booklist calls it "lyrical and sweeping, full of hope, heartbreak, fate . . . and the universal beating of the human heart."

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24Heartless

While Wicked helped readers empathize with Elphaba, aka the Wicked Witch of the West, and her plight, Marissa Meyer's Heartless may make you see Alice in Wonderland's infamous Queen of Hearts in a whole new light as well. This story explores the queen's past, back when she was just Catherine, a girl in love with someone she was forbidden to be with.